Sports medicine deals with the broad scope of overall physical fitness as well as prevention, diagnosis, treatment and recovery of injuries related to sports and exercise. Beyond professional sports, sports medicine focuses on a large patient population that includes youth sports, casual athletes and adults dedicated to active lifestyles.

Many challenges exist in sports medicine today. Two that are top of mind include:

While the topic of TBI has received much attention in the sports world, it is also a major public health problem. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate that every year at least 1.7 million TBI occur either as an isolated injury or along with other injuries. TBI are contributing factor to almost a third (30.5 percent) of all injury-related deaths in the U.S.

The dangers posed by concussions apply to recreational enthusiasts and professional athletes of all ages. The CDC estimates nearly 3.8 million sports-related concussions occur every year. Athletes with multiple concussions or who continue playing before fully recovered are at increased risk for long-lasting problems including severe headaches, bouts of anxiety and depression, and balance problems.

Extremity injuries are also a major health issue. In the U.S., musculoskeletal disorders are reported more than any other health condition and 9 percent are related to sports. These injuries can cause pain, limit activities and require surgical repair and/or physical therapy.

Early detection and effective treatment are essential to minimizing the immediate and long term effects of both TBI and extremity injuries. One potential solution is a cost-effective 3D imaging system designed for use at the point of care/point of injury at practice and sports venues, as well as for use by healthcare specialists in medical offices or hospitals.

Carestream is working with research partners to develop such a solution using cone beam CT-based technology that can detect initial damage — and monitor recovery — from a brain injury. This could enable physicians to design appropriate treatment regimens for each patient to help reduce the effects of the injury. This technology also could deliver advantages for extremity imaging including images of anatomy under weight-bearing conditions (i.e., standing), which could provide valuable diagnostic information that is not currently available.

Headquartered in Rochester, our 7,000 employees are serving medical and dental service providers in over 170 countries. With more than 800 patents for innovation in radiology, healthcare IT and other areas, we are well positioned to help them address their ever changing clinical and operational needs. Every day we are committed to delivering new imaging and information technology that helps the medical community provide a higher quality of care and improve the lives of the patients they serve.